Meet the 2012 ARC Team

TEAM WILD MAMA

Another Exciting ARC Race Year, Another Exciting Team ...

Terry & Ellen during 2010 ARC

Terry & Ellen with the official ARC Winner's trophy

Grasshopper Meeting with Terry & Ellen

Terry Carbonell, Pilot

My mantra for life is "Never let fear, alone, stop you." I started flying at the ripe ole' age of 44 at the request of my husband, a private pilot who passed away in 2008 from Alzheimer's Disease. I did not take to flying: the development of wings has been an evolutionary process Wild Mama & Wild Mama

which has taken its' jolly old time. But after over 5 years, 1600+ hours, an instrument rating, a commercial rating, tail wheel rating, a sea plane rating, ground instructor certificate, CFI and lots of help from other pilots, instructors and friends, my flight feathers are becoming fully developed, and I look forward to a long love affair with life above this earth.

This will be my sixthyear flying the Air Race Classic; the first being in 2007. From the planning to the cross country trip out to Oklahoma City and through-out the race to Saint John and back home, I was pretty well hooked. I liked the atmosphere, the excitement of the race, the planning and strategy, and the other ladies who were volunteers and competitors but became friends.

My friends tell me I suffer from "terra-firma phobia" as I would much rather be scuba diving or flying. I have traveled over a large part of the world as a passenger but now it is my turn to be PIC. Since getting my license in May 2005, I have flown across the US several times. My "cross countries" are literally clear across the country. In 2006, we went from SW Florida to Las Vegas, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore. The 2007 trip included an overflight of the Grand Canyon, a visit to a fellow racer in southern California, Yosemite National Park, the many air museums in northern Oregon, Seattle, Teton National Park and the Ozark region of Arkansas. We have also flown Wild Mama to Niagara Falls, Cancun, Mexico and to the Bahamas, not to mention the 2007 ARC from Oklahoma City to Saint John, NB, Canada. Flights in 2010 included a trip to Alaska and through Canada that found Wild Mama flying about 60 hours through Alaska, Canada and all the way across the US and back. All and all, I have landed at over 150 different airports throughout the US, Canada, Bahamas and Mexico. I have also participated 4 years in the Okie Derby proficiency race garnering 2nd, 3rd and 7th place finishes and just added a 1st place finish in the Sunshine Derby. Most importantly, I fulfilled my husbands' wish of spending all the time he could in an airplane during the time he had left on this earth as he accompanied me on the vast majority of my journies and logged over 1000 hours in 3 years as my most prized passenger and #1 fan.

I have developed a real passion for flying and I especially enjoy sharing that passion with the next generation of aviators. My 2011 aviations goals were completing a successful youth and aviation program with the South Alabama Boys & Girls Club where over 70 young girls were introduced to aviation and the world of opportunity available to them. Additionally, the dream of winning the Air Race Classic became a reality with the help of the 2010 team with Ellen Herr and Laura Ying Gao. That was a moment that I will forever cherish. Goals for 2011/2012 include multi-engine rating, CFII and to go back and work on the glider rating as time permits.

I am thrilled to be flying with Ellen again this year in the 2012 Air Race Classic. We have developed a great friendship that has spanned the last several years of working with the Paradise Coast Chapter and flying in the 2010 race .... and we have not killed each other yet!!!

Aviation affiliations include the Ninety-Nine's, Paradise Coast Chapter (Secretary and Southease Section Vice Governor), Women in Aviation Int'l, EAA, Lawyer-Pilots Association, Florida Bar - Aviation Law Committee, volunteer for Angel Flight, Director/Secretary for Air Race Classic, Inc. and AOPA.

Ellen Herr, Co-Pilot

Raised in central Illinois, my first flight was with my father in his Piper Cub from a grass strip on our farm. What a fun airplane to introduce flying to a child! I earned my private pilot’s license in 1977, while attending the University of Illinois. I added an instrument rating two years later while living in upstate New York. After moving to New Jersey in the mid 1980’s, my flying hours decreased due to demands of work and financial constraints, but my interest never waned. I belonged to the New York-New Jersey section of the Ninety-Nines, Inc, and participated in many of their activities.

After moving to Florida several years ago, I joined a flying club based at Page Field, Fort Myers, FL. The Cub Club, Inc. afforded me the opportunity to renew my skills and become an active pilot again.

Recently I have purchased my first aircraft, a Cirrus SR22. I am really enjoying learning to fly a technically advanced aircraft. Accompanied by my husband, Ed Thurn, we will be doing some cross country flying to visit family in the Midwest. We’re also looking forward to traveling to the west coast to Oregon and Washington.

Flying has been such a wonderful way to see the world and meet many fascinating people. I’ve recently begun flying with the Pilots N Paws program transporting dogs to new adoptive homes.

I continue to serve as secretary of the Cub Club and participate in the activities of the Paradise Coast Ninety-Nines.

This will be my second Air Race Classic flying with a veteran racer. What a challenge!

VERNON CONLY: Ace mechanic and the keeper of Wild Mama, Vern has been with the team since inception. He leads the team with mechanical and performance advice and makes sure Wild Mama is always ship shape and ready for adventure. We appreciate his advice and counsel. Vern is an IA and 25 year pilot.

Jim Reynolds: Team Wild Mama had our very own Weather guy. We welcome Jim who promised us tailwinds when all others have headwinds, blue skies where

others have rain and accurate forecasts. (No pressure there.) We have to say, Jim delivered on most of the promises in 2010. (He did allow others some tail winds and blue skies.) Jim is a retired airline Captain with a lifetime of aviation experience and a pilot on the B-25, Pacific Prowler.

Our pride and joy is a 1978 182RG. She has 235 h.p. and a completely tricked-out panel, including XM Weather . The short version of the "Wild Mama" name is quite simple. When I bought the airplane I had a running "one-ups-manship" with another pilot, Rob Weber. Seems he said his 172 was faster than mine . . . and it was. I had to solve the problem so I bought the 182RG and was now faster than Rob. When I called him to chide him about the faster plane he asked me the tail number to which I replied: "November-6-1-4-Whisky-Mike." It was at that time he coined the phrase. He said: "More like 6-1-4-Wild Mama!". . . and the name stuck. Thus, she will be forever known as Wild Mama! Some argue, however, that the name applied equally to the pilot. Time will tell.